If you’ve followed the career of Columbus Short, you know the man has range. From the high-energy choreography of Stomp the Yard to the high-stakes political drama of Scandal, he was once everywhere. But honestly, his personal life has often overshadowed his screen time. People are constantly searching for "Columbus Short wife" because, frankly, the timeline is a bit of a whirlwind. It’s not just one story; it’s a series of chapters involving different women, public breakups, and a search for stability that seems to have finally landed in a calmer place.
Right now, in 2026, Columbus is married to Aida Abramyan. They’ve been a unit for nearly a decade, which is a lifetime in Hollywood years. But to understand where they are now, you kind of have to look at the chaotic path it took to get there. It wasn’t exactly a straight line.
Who is Aida Abramyan?
Aida is a publicist, and by most accounts, she’s the one who stayed by him when things were at their absolute worst. They got engaged back in 2016, right around the time Columbus was dealing with some pretty heavy legal and personal baggage. They actually have two sons together. Unlike his previous relationships that played out like a tabloid thriller, his life with Aida feels... quieter.
She isn't just a "celebrity wife" in the background. She’s been his rock through multiple career resets. You’ve probably seen them on red carpets occasionally, like at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival, looking genuinely solid. In a 2024 interview on the Unqualified As Fuk* podcast, Short actually sparked some controversy by talking about his preference for non-Black women, mentioning how he felt Aida—who is not Black—offered a different kind of support. Whether you agree with his takes or not, it’s clear he credits her for a lot of his current peace of mind.
The Tanee McCall Years: Art Imitating Life
Before Aida, there was Tuere Tanee McCall. This was probably his most high-profile and, unfortunately, most volatile marriage. They were both dancers and actors—creative spirits who seemed perfect on paper. They married in 2005 and have a daughter named Ayala.
Things got messy. Really messy.
In 2014, the world watched as their marriage imploded. Tanee filed for divorce and a restraining order, alleging that Columbus had threatened her life during an intoxicated rage. It was this specific incident that led to him being written off Scandal. It’s a sad "what if" in TV history, but the reality for Tanee was much more than a lost job. She later wrote a heartbreaking open letter to TMZ about how domestic violence shouldn't be used as entertainment.
The wildest part? They actually filmed a short film together called The End Again while they were in the middle of their real-life separation. It’s a beautiful, painful movie about a couple breaking up. Talk about art imitating life. They tried to reconcile during the filming, but as Tanee later explained, the "normal" they were trying to get back to was just too broken.
The Karrine Steffans "Marriage" Mystery
Then there’s the Karrine Steffans situation. If you were online in 2016, you remember the "Meet the Shorts" hashtag. Karrine, the famous author and former video vixen, claimed they were legally married. Columbus... well, he eventually disagreed.
It was a short-lived, explosive saga. It ended with Karrine posting a video of Columbus sitting in a chair while she threw his clothes out of the house, accusing him of cheating.
- Karrine's Side: She produced what looked like a marriage license and claimed she was trying to "save" him from his demons.
- Columbus's Side: He later told interviewers that they were never legally wed and that he was "homeless" when she took him in. He called the relationship "toxic" and basically implied he was in a vulnerable place and made a mistake.
It was a tabloid dream and a personal nightmare.
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A History of Starting Over
Let's not forget his first wife, Brandi Short. They married way back in 2001, before he was a household name. They had a son together, but they split by 2003 just as his star was beginning to rise.
When you look at the whole picture, you see a man who has been married (or "married") at least four times.
- Brandi Short (2001-2003)
- Tanee McCall (2005-2014)
- Karrine Steffans (2016 - disputed)
- Aida Abramyan (2016-Present)
It’s easy to judge from the outside. But if you listen to Columbus speak these days, he sounds like someone who has done a lot of reflecting. He’s been open about his struggles with substance abuse and the "demons" that Karrine and Tanee both mentioned. It seems like Aida met him at his "bottom" and helped him climb out.
Why It Matters Today
People still care about Columbus Short's wife and his dating history because he represents a very human story of spectacular success followed by a public fall. We want to know if someone can actually change. Seeing him still married to Aida after all these years suggests that maybe stability is possible, even after the kind of bridge-burning he experienced in the mid-2010s.
If you’re looking for a takeaway from the saga of Columbus Short’s relationships, it’s probably this: reputation is hard to build and easy to break, but the people who stay when the cameras stop flashing are the ones who actually matter. Aida Abramyan isn't just another name on a list; she’s the person who saw the man behind the Scandal and decided to stay.
Actionable Insights:
If you are following this story to understand the legal or social implications of celebrity domestic disputes, research the California Family Code regarding restraining orders and how they impact professional contracts. For those interested in the entertainment side, watching The End Again provides a rare, raw look at how actors process their real-life trauma through their craft. Stay updated on his upcoming projects through official trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter to see if his professional comeback continues to hold steady alongside his personal life.